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Ok, I'll remind him of the rules. Jen Arianna Frances

He only does it because you said you like it Arianna Frances

I wish it were that easy! Hubby doesn't let me get away with $h!t. I did get a friend to watch Ari while we're moving though - she has a bad back so all she'll be good for is sitting down with her, which is help enough! Jen Arianna Frances

Good point, they're calling for rain ALL weekend but the radar forcasts has rain out to western NY, so it might not be strictly the TS. I think these 'friends' are just using the weather as an excuse, they don't really want to help anyway (which I guess I don't blame them for). Good reminder about the neighborhood, I might be able to get the couple that lives up stairs to help us - good reminder! Thanks! Arianna Frances

We're getting the remnants of the tropical storm thats hitting FL this weekend. I'm moving this saturday and just found out 2 of the people helping us move are definitely 'fair weather' friends... they won't help in the rain. Of rhe remaining 3 people, one was in a car accident last week and is pretty sore, one is about 100 lbs. over weight, and one is over 55 and already complaining about helping. We have to hoist 2 big couches and a king size mattress set over our balcony to the truck and then into the new house... in addition to 4 dozen or so boxes and other smaller stuff. Sounds fun huh? I seriously should have paid someone to move us... What advice would you give lil' ol' me? Besides, get busy calling people. Which I'm already doing Jen Arianna Frances

Agreed. I had hubby measure me and my bev suit came out great! Good luck (you've got a great dealer ) Jen Arianna Frances

I most definitely didn’t have an ideal childhood, it sucked actually. My mother is a paranoid schizophrenic and having a very rough time of it right now and the only person that she is letting ‘help’ her is me (I use ‘help’ loosely as I’m not doing anything, I can’t. She’s so fried right now). This includes her coming to live with my husband and I (which he is a saint for doing). This is very hard on me right now as I have a 5 month old at home and am closing on my new home on Tuesday. In doing some research to try and help her, I came across some information that got me thinking. (http://www.schizophrenia.com/newsletter/1197/1197sibling.htm) Schizophrenia has a biological tie to it. "Mental illnesses are biologically based brain disorders that profoundly disrupt a person's ability to think, feel, relate to others and their environment, " is offered by NAMI, which is based in Arlington, Va., and has chapters across the country. That definition fixes the cause as a genetic or chemical disorder, blame that can be tossed into a biological box. But, as Secunda writes, it's likely to be more complicated: "The professional consensus is that these disorders are biologically based vulnerabilities that can be triggered or induced in a variety of ways by such environmental stressors such as financial or marital troubles. " Secunda said she believes the lingering stigma of mental illness explains why only 20 percent to 40 percent of Americans with psychiatric disorders get treatment. As traumatized bystanders to severe mental illness, children and siblings face lifelong issues, including the realistic worry that a caretaker role looms in their future. Secunda found that the legacy of disrupted childhoods colored all aspects of her subjects' lives. More than half worked in the arts, where they could figuratively cry out for attention, or in the helping professions, where they could search for answers and assuage their guilt at being well. Despite their mistrust of a mental health system that seemingly failed them, three-quarters eventually sought therapy. And -- finding cold comfort in statistics that strongly favor their chance of having normal children -- more than half decided to forgo parenthood. One woman whose father was schizophrenic decided not to tempt fate after she married a man whose parents were both alcoholic and diabetic. "The sick joke in our house, " she said, "is that if we had kids, they'd all become alcoholic, insulin-dependent schizophrenics. So we raise horses instead. " My mothers father, his family and my mothers brothers all have mental illness in one shape or form; yet the thought of me passing it on to my children never crossed my mind. I have been very lucky in that I do not show any signs of the mental illness’ that plague her family – my brother, unfortunately does, he has ADD and at 26 can not organize his life enough to live by himself (not to mention the fact that he’s an alcoholic). I’m feeling quite helpless lately and really on the verge of tears. Its hard for people to understand and I guess I just need to get this out to keep from imploding… If you knew you could pass something similar to this (or any disease) onto your children, would you forgo having them? Arianna Frances

I think the only D license requirement that should be omitted is the needless 'night jumps' requirement. Jen Arianna Frances

Congratulations - you'll be seeing me soon (as soon as my post-pregnancy body allows me into my jumpsuit ) Jen Arianna Frances

hehe Tweetums. It started out at sweetie, then went to sweetums, then tweetums (no idea why though). Jen Arianna Frances

I just bought a house in what could be considered the boston metro area (lots of ppl commute to boston from where we'll live). The majority of homes were on the market for more than 120 days - but they still made money. The folks who are selling the home we're buying bought it 4 years ago. They haven't updated a thing - really, done nothing to it (its in great shape though). They're making $100k on it. And the price was down $35k from their original asking price (which wasn't unreasonable). Jen Arianna Frances

Not meaning to sound rude... but um... your pregnant - maybe you should use this time to focus on something other than hurling yourself out of planes? If this has you so preoccupied/bored you are having to ask strangers for things to do - perhaps you need a different perspective. In my new found down time I've taken up weight training (was doing a bit of this before), gardening and focusing on my finances more. Obviously above all of that is spending with my daughter... you're only pregnant for a short time, and they're only little once. Jen Arianna Frances

Arianna Frances

Sorry, no sympathy here You were probably following the car too close or not paying close enough attention. The accident is your fault, not the cats or the woman in front of you. I'm sure if it was your dog or cat in the road you'd be happy someone was aware enough to avoid hitting them. Car repairs suck though, hope it doesn't cost too much money Jen Arianna Frances

I would... but you turned off your PMs silly Jen Arianna Frances

That is so cool - enjoy the solitude... its something I miss too.

Moving 6 years worth of crap into my new house - sounds like fun huh? Wanna help Jen Arianna Frances

Last concert was Modeski, Martin and Woods I'd love to see the original Alice in chains - although I may try to get tix to see them while they're touring now. Jen Arianna Frances

This is my libertarianism 'tag line' - thank you

Very cool! Jen Arianna Frances

I feel for ya. Try being a buyer and getting a call the week before closing from the attorney to say that the house doesn't have a clear title, and hasn't since 1918. The sellers knew this but didn't disclose it until AFTER the PNS was signed. And then having to sue the homeowners to get your money back We luckily found a great house in the woods (ya for trees!) I don't think I'll ever buy another house with all the headaches we went through. But I will say one thing - I'll never buy a house with a realtor after all the help we needed this time. Jen Arianna Frances

I live in Cranston, on the providence line until the 29th when we move into our own house in Cumberland. My landlord will have this apartment (3 bedrooms) free after that and I know he has a house thats split into 2, 2 bedroom units just down the street. Its fairly cheap. If you are interested, let me know. Jen Arianna Frances

I've heard, more often than not, that the 'test' someone was given while pregnant did not, in fact, produce a child with that disorder when it was born. The tests can be wrong. Arianna Frances

This is a good idea. The type of home she is staying in is for people with disabilities, if she leaves she may lose the ability to go back (they'll give up her 'spot')... I'd feel twice as bad if after she left us she had no where to go... I wish there was more I could do, I hate feeling helpless Arianna Frances

I have a person in my life that I love dearly. She is a very dependent person - she can't make decisions for herself, she relies on other people to help her in almost every aspect of her life. She is on disability with no real reliable way to make money, she is just not capable of it, unfortunately. The person that has the most influence on her life right now is her husband, and he is a violent, extremely bad influence on her and her life. I've tried numerous time to get her away from him and she always goes back. She has left him again, and the way she is approaching the situation is different than the others - so much so that it gives me hope she will finally do it! She is in a situation now that makes me so sad for her. She is on her way to a half-way house. My husband told me that she has burned her bridge with us and can't stay with us again - and while I agree with him, I feel so bad for her. I want to do more but where do I draw the line? What would you do? Jen Arianna Frances